Maurice wirths



the plate- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE VVIRTHS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CARD OR PLATE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,284, dated January 19, 1892.

Application filed November 25, 1891. Serlal No. 413,079. (No model.) I i To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LMAURIOE Wmrris, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Card and Plate Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in card and plate holders, in which provision is made for utilizing the spring-tension of a portion of a holder to grip the plate or card, or both, and hold them in position to display their faces in an advantageous manner.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figuresl and 2 represent one form of the support respectively in front and side elevation, with a plate and card in position thereon. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of a modified form. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of a third form, and Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of a fourth form.

The several forms shown have the follow ing features in common: a spring-grip for holding the plate firmly grasped, a pressure toward the central portion of the plate to hold a card in snug contact therewith, and means for holdinga card at a predetermined height with regard to the plate which forms its setting.

The support is formed of spring-wire or metallic strip bent into shape toform a receiving-pocket for the base of the frame, a front and rear tread to hold the support, and a plate resting thereon in stable adjustment, and an upwardly-extending portion adapted to bear toward the central portion of In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the two ends of the wire or strip which form the support are first bent into a loop A, the

bottoms of which are intended to form the front treads of the support and the necks of which are so constructed as to form a springgrip upon the plate-as, for example, at a.

wardly, forming the bends a, and after extending downwardly to a point slightly below the position which it is intended that the denoted by b. The plate B may be made of transparent material-glass, for exampleand when the card I) is held against its rear surface the glass plate will form a transparent border surrounding the card and will prove a very attractive setting for the card. It is intended that the bends a of the support shall have a tendency to spring forward farther than the position of the plate 13 when gripped by the neck of the loop a, so that when the plate is placed in position it'will require a forcing back of the bends a and hence cause them to press tightly against the card b,which is intended to be inserted between the rear of the plate and the bends (L The card I; will be prevented from dropping out of position by the engagement of its lower edge with the bights a or its lower 1 edge might rest upon the horizontal part a.

The form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is quite similar to that shown-in Fig. 1, with the exception of the downwardly-extending por tions which form the bights a for supporting the lower edge of the card. In this form the horizontal portion a, midway of the two ends of the support, is formed immediately below the bends a and the card I) is prevented from dropping by means of a depending hook C, hung from the horizontal portion a".

The form represented in Figs. 5 and 6 differs from that represented in Figs. 3 and 4 by locating the loops which receive the lower edge of the plate at a greater or less dis tance above the forward treads of the support. Such loops are represented in Figs 5 and 6 by A, and the wires after leaving the loops make an extended downward bend or loop A the bights of which form the front treads, and then extend rearwardly to form the rear treads, as in the forms hereinbefore referred to.

In the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the ends of the wire or strip which forms the support are located at the rear of the support and form rear treads (Z. The two branches extend thence forwardly in curved form and curve downwardly and upwardly to form the forward treads (1. They then turn downwardly and upwardly, forming loops A for the reception of the lower edge of the plate, which they grasp with a tight grip in a manner quite similar to the loops A and A and extend thence upwardly in curvedform to the point where they engage a central portion of the card, as at (Z and thence toward each other in curved form, as shown at d, Fig. 8, where they unite. From the portion (1 the sustaining-hook O depends.

The support hereinbefore described is light and durable and may be made to assume neat ornamental curves and serves to hold the plate and card securely in position thereon, so as to show off the card to good advantage.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. A card and plate holder consisting of a metallic wire or strip bent into shape to form receiving-loops at the front for the reception of a plate or the like, said loops being provided with contracted necks for exerting a frictional grip upon the article held thereby, said wire or strip being further bent to form rear treads to insure a stable support, substantially as set forth.

2. The card and plate holder comprising a strip or wire bent to form loops at the front for the reception of a plate or other article to be held, the said holder being further bent to exert pressure against the article to be held at a point above the said loops, substantially as set forth.

3. A card and plate holder comprising a strip or wire bent to form spring gripping, receiving loops at the front, treads at the rear, and pressure-braces at a point above the treads and having a card-supporting device depending from the pressure-brace, substantially as set forth.

t. A card and plate holder comprising a strip or wire bent into spring gripping-loops at the front, treads at the rear, a spring pressure-brace at the point above the treads, and a card-supporting bight depending from and formed integral with the pressure-brace, substantially as set forth.

MAURICE lVIRTHS.

\Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, I. B. DECKER. 

